University of Tennessee Athletics
#20/23 Vols Crush #11 Louisville, 83-62
December 16, 2025 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In its first game at Food City Center in 26 days, the University of Tennessee men's basketball team turned in a dominant performance Tuesday night and took down No. 11 Louisville, 83-62, in a top-25 showdown.
No. 23/20 Tennessee (8-3) controlled the second half, outscoring the Cardinals by 14 in the session, to defeat an AP top-11 foe for the second time this season. Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie paced the victors, who trailed for just 40 seconds, with a game-high 23 points, including 20 in the second half.
The Volunteers started 8-of-12 from the floor and used a 14-2 run over 3:56, including scoring eight straight points on four consecutive made field goals in the final 56 seconds of that span, to build a 10-point edge, 19-9, after just 7:21 of action.
Louisville (9-2) cut the margin to five, 29-24, with 4:09 to play in the session, but then went scoreless for 2:40, helping Tennessee take a seven-point advantage, 34-27, into the intermission. The Cardinals got all but four of their points from sophomore guard Adrian Wooley (12) and senior guard Ryan Conwell (11). The Volunteers posted a 22-0 margin in first-half bench points, led by 10 from junior forward Jaylen Carey, and committed just four turnovers, three of which were offensive fouls.
Tennessee opened the second frame with a 19-11 burst, including hitting back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers for a 9-2 spurt just 54 seconds, to create a 15-point lead, 53-38, with 14:47 remaining. The Volunteers went 4-of-4 from deep during that surge, with Gillespie accounting for 10 of the first 13 points and hitting the initial two 3-pointers.
The home team upped the count to 22-12 to go in front by 17, 56-39, with 13:03 on the timer, but did not stop there.
The Volunteers' cushion progressively ballooned from there, reaching 19 with 8:23 remaining and then 21 just 72 seconds later. They stretched it to 22 with 5:17 to go and to 24 only 46 seconds after that as the onslaught continued. The margin reached a game-best 25, 81-56, with 2:58 to go and ultimately ended at 21.
It marked the Cardinals' first loss by 20-plus since an 86-63 home setback versus Ole Miss on Dec. 3, 2024. Their only other 20-point defeat the last two seasons also came to Tennessee, as the Volunteers recorded a 77-55 road triumph on Nov. 9, 2024.
The 62 points also tied for Louisville's fewest since March 15, 2025, versus Duke in the ACC Tournament title game in Charlotte, N.C. Its only other outing with 62 or fewer points over the last two campaigns was when it had 55 in the loss to the Volunteers.
Gillespie's fifth 20-point showing of the season included a perfect 10-of-10 ledger from the free-throw line, all in the second half. He became the first Volunteer to make double-digit free throws without a miss since Feb. 24, 2021, plus shot 3-of-7 from long range and led all players with five assists.
Freshman forward Nate Ament finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in the victory. Carey, meanwhile, compiled his sixth collegiate double-double, including his second as a Volunteer, with 12 points and a game-leading 10 rebounds. He set a career high with 10 free-throw attempts.
Conwell registered 22 points to lead the Cardinals, but Tennessee held him to a 7-of-19 ledger from the field and a 4-of-13 clip on 3-pointers. Wooley had a career-best 19 points despite the Volunteers limiting him to a 2-of-8 tally beyond the arc.
The victors, who forced three Louisville shot-clock violations, also held senior guard Isaac McKneeley, the Cardinals' third-leading scorer, to five points on 2-of-10 shooting, with just 1-of-7 figure on 3-point attempts.
Tennessee finished the night 29-of-53 (54.7 percent) from the floor and 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from beyond the arc, with the latter mark featuring a 6-of-10 second-half ledger. At the other end, it held the Cardinals, who scored 80-plus points in nine of their first 10 games this season with 96-plus in six, to a 22-of-58 (37.9 percent) count overall and a 7-of-34 (20.6 percent) mark from deep. Louisville entered the game second nationally, per KenPom, in adjusted offensive efficiency.
In addition, the Volunteers recorded a 21-10 margin in points off turnovers, a commanding 34-3 edge in bench points and a 16-4 cushion in fast-break points.
Tennessee continues its three-game Food City Center homestand Sunday at 3 p.m. when it faces Gardner-Webb, live on SEC Network+.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes now owns 844 victories in his career, remaining tied for first among all active Division I head coaches and in co-ninth place all-time (min. 10 years in Division I).
• A total of 35 NBA scouts from 20 different franchises had credentials for the game, including five general managers.
• After selling out their Oct. 26 preseason exhibition matchup with Duke, the Volunteers notched their first regular season sellout of 2025-26.
• The 21,678 fans in the building Tuesday night marked the third-highest single-game attendance of the season thus far in college basketball.
• Tennessee now has 25 sellouts over the last five seasons—one in 2025-26, eight in 2024-25, eight in 2023-24, five in 2022-23 and three in 2021-22—and sports a 21-4 ledger in those games, including a 16-2 tally since Feb. 15, 2023.
• The Volunteers improved to 39-15 all-time in Food City Center sellouts, including 34-13 since the 2007-08 capacity reduction and 28-7 under Barnes.
• Tennessee is now 97-34 all-time when playing in front of 20,000-plus fans at Food City Center, including 38-10 under Barnes, with 33 of the latter 48 over the past five seasons (2021-26).
• The Volunteers moved to 10-12 in their all-time series with Louisville, including 3-0 in Barnes' tenure as head coach.
• Tennessee's perfect 3-0 record versus Louisville in the Barnes era features wins at three different locations, all by 11-plus points, including the last two by over 20.
• Tuesday marked the second time in 22 series meeting both the Volunteers and the Cardinals were ranked, joining an NCAA Tournament matchup on March 27, 2008, in Charlotte, N.C.
• Tennessee has now been ranked in each of its last four meetings with the Cardinals after playing as an unranked team in the first 18 matchups, eight of which were prior to the invent of the AP Poll.
• The Volunteers have now defeated Louisville in back-to-back seasons after the program played just once in the prior 16 years (2008-24).
• Tennessee improved to 127-102 all-time versus the current ACC membership, including to 16-6 under Barnes, who is 86-78 against such foes in his career.
• The Volunteers moved to 15-3 against ACC schools other than North Carolina in Barnes' 11-year tenure at the helm.
• Tennessee now possesses a 9-2 record against ACC competition across the last five seasons (2021-26), including 6-1 in the last seven such outings.
• The Volunteers have now registered 42 straight non-conference home wins, a streak that spans six seasons, dates to Dec. 8, 2020, and is one shy of the program record.
• Over its 87-week streak in the AP Poll, since the start of the 2021-22 season, Tennessee has now played just 20 games as a lower-ranked team, posting a 12-8 record in those matchups, including a 2-0 ledger in 2025-26.
• Tennessee collected its second win over an AP top-11 foe this season, as it previously defeated No. 3/2 Houston, 76-73, in a Nov. 25 matchup in Las Vegas.
• The Volunteers now own 32 AP top-25 wins over the last five seasons (2021-26), including 28 over AP top-20 foes and 24 versus AP top-15 teams, all of which solely lead Division I in that span.
• In total, the Volunteers now own 46 AP top-25 victories under Barnes, including 40 versus top-20 foes and 31 against top-15 opponents.
• Across its last 36 contests against AP top-15 foes—the span dates to Dec. 22, 2021—Tennessee owns a 24-12 mark, including a 11-7 mark in non-conference play and a 9-6 record versus non-SEC teams.
• In addition, the Volunteers are now 30-17 over their last 47 games versus AP top-25 foes, beginning on Jan. 22, 2022.
• Tennessee improved to 40-29 in AP top-25 matchups in Barnes' tenure, including 32-22 with both teams in the top 20.
• Tuesday's outing marked the sixth straight contest versus a Power Five foe for Tennessee, including the first at Food City Center.
• Tennessee's first eight assists, over the opening 15 minutes of the contest, came from eight different players.
• The Cardinals went 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) on free throws in the opening session, but only 5-of-9 (55.5 percent) on 2-pointers and 4-of-16 (25.0 percent) beyond the arc.
• Meanwhile, the Volunteers shot 14-of-21 (66.7 percent) inside the arc in the first half, but just 1-of-8 (12.5 percent) from long range and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) at the line.
• After starting 3-of-10 from the free throw line, the Volunteers made 15 of their final 18 attempts in the victory.
• Additionally, following its 1-of-8 start from 3-point range, Tennessee shot 6-of-10 the rest of the way.
• The Volunteers have now pulled down double-digit offensive rebounds in each of their first 11 games of 2025-26.
• Louisville's three bench points marked the fewest Tennessee has allowed since March 15, 2025, when it conceded the same total to Auburn in the SEC Tournament semifinals in Nashville, Tenn.
• The last time the Volunteers' bench outscored that of their opponent by 30-plus was on Nov. 6, 2023, with a 36-3 margin versus Tennessee Tech in the 2023-24 season opener.
• Tennessee last shot at least 54.7 percent from the field on Feb. 15, 2025, when it went 29-of-52 (55.8 percent) against Vanderbilt.
• Louisville has shot under 38.0 percent just six times over the last two seasons—that is the tenure of head coach Pat Kelsey—and two are against Tennessee, as it went 16-of-60 on Nov. 9, 2024, for its lowest mark during that span.
• The 20.6 percent 3-point clip by Louisville marked its third-lowest ledger over the last two seasons, while its seven makes from long range tied for the eighth-fewest.
• Conwell became the first Tennessee opponent to attempt 13-plus 3-pointers in a game since March 7, 2020, when Auburn's Samir Doughty went 8-of-13.
• Freshman forward DeWayne Brown II earned the first start of his collegiate career, replacing junior forward Cade Phillips, who is out for the season.
• Carey and Gillespie became the fourth Tennessee duo in the last nine seasons (2017-26) to post 10-plus free-throw attempts in the same contest, joining Dalton Knecht and Zakai Zeigler (Feb. 28, 2024, versus Auburn), Julian Phillips and Zakai Zeigler (Dec. 7, 2022, versus Eastern Kentucky) and Olivier Nkamhoua and Julian Phillips (Nov. 16, 2022, versus FGCU).
• Carey set a career high with his 10 free-throw attempts, eclipsing the nine he attempted twice last season while at Vanderbilt, the first on Nov. 4, 2024, versus Maryland Eastern Shore and the latter on Feb. 15, 2025, at Tennessee.
• In posting his sixth collegiate double-double, Carey grabbed double-digit rebounds for the ninth time, including the third this season.
• Gillespie posted double-figure made free throws without a miss for the second time in his career, as he went 11-of-11 on Feb. 26, 2025, versus Michigan State, while at Maryland.
• The last Tennessee player to make 10 free throws in a game without a miss was Jaden Springer, who did so on Feb. 24, 2021, at Vanderbilt.
• The most recent Volunteer to score 20-plus points in the second half was Chaz Lanier—he also had 20 of his 23—on March 8, 2025, versus South Carolina.
• Gillespie now has 19 outings with 20-plus points in his career, including five in his first 11 appearances as a Volunteer.
• Freshman guard Amari Evans registered the first 3-point make of his young career with 8:45 left, helping Tennessee regain a then-game-best 17-point lead.
• After shooting 1-of-10 from the field in his first eight outings as a collegian, Evans finished 3-of-3 in Tuesday's victory.
• Senior forward Felix Okpara logged a game-high three blocks, marking his 33rd time reaching that figure as a collegian, including the 14th as a Volunteer and fourth in 2025-26.
• Okpara also led all players with three steals, his second time hitting that mark, joining a four-steal showing on Dec. 17, 2022, versus North Carolina in New York during his Ohio State tenure.
• The last Tennessee player with three blocks and three steals in a game was Jonas Aidoo on Nov. 22, 2023, versus Kansas in Honolulu, while the most recent one to achieve the feat at Food City Center was Josiah-Jordan James (five steals, four blocks) on Nov. 9, 2021, against UT Martin in the 2021-22 season opener.
No. 23/20 Tennessee (8-3) controlled the second half, outscoring the Cardinals by 14 in the session, to defeat an AP top-11 foe for the second time this season. Senior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie paced the victors, who trailed for just 40 seconds, with a game-high 23 points, including 20 in the second half.
The Volunteers started 8-of-12 from the floor and used a 14-2 run over 3:56, including scoring eight straight points on four consecutive made field goals in the final 56 seconds of that span, to build a 10-point edge, 19-9, after just 7:21 of action.
Louisville (9-2) cut the margin to five, 29-24, with 4:09 to play in the session, but then went scoreless for 2:40, helping Tennessee take a seven-point advantage, 34-27, into the intermission. The Cardinals got all but four of their points from sophomore guard Adrian Wooley (12) and senior guard Ryan Conwell (11). The Volunteers posted a 22-0 margin in first-half bench points, led by 10 from junior forward Jaylen Carey, and committed just four turnovers, three of which were offensive fouls.
Tennessee opened the second frame with a 19-11 burst, including hitting back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers for a 9-2 spurt just 54 seconds, to create a 15-point lead, 53-38, with 14:47 remaining. The Volunteers went 4-of-4 from deep during that surge, with Gillespie accounting for 10 of the first 13 points and hitting the initial two 3-pointers.
The home team upped the count to 22-12 to go in front by 17, 56-39, with 13:03 on the timer, but did not stop there.
The Volunteers' cushion progressively ballooned from there, reaching 19 with 8:23 remaining and then 21 just 72 seconds later. They stretched it to 22 with 5:17 to go and to 24 only 46 seconds after that as the onslaught continued. The margin reached a game-best 25, 81-56, with 2:58 to go and ultimately ended at 21.
It marked the Cardinals' first loss by 20-plus since an 86-63 home setback versus Ole Miss on Dec. 3, 2024. Their only other 20-point defeat the last two seasons also came to Tennessee, as the Volunteers recorded a 77-55 road triumph on Nov. 9, 2024.
The 62 points also tied for Louisville's fewest since March 15, 2025, versus Duke in the ACC Tournament title game in Charlotte, N.C. Its only other outing with 62 or fewer points over the last two campaigns was when it had 55 in the loss to the Volunteers.
Gillespie's fifth 20-point showing of the season included a perfect 10-of-10 ledger from the free-throw line, all in the second half. He became the first Volunteer to make double-digit free throws without a miss since Feb. 24, 2021, plus shot 3-of-7 from long range and led all players with five assists.
Freshman forward Nate Ament finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in the victory. Carey, meanwhile, compiled his sixth collegiate double-double, including his second as a Volunteer, with 12 points and a game-leading 10 rebounds. He set a career high with 10 free-throw attempts.
Conwell registered 22 points to lead the Cardinals, but Tennessee held him to a 7-of-19 ledger from the field and a 4-of-13 clip on 3-pointers. Wooley had a career-best 19 points despite the Volunteers limiting him to a 2-of-8 tally beyond the arc.
The victors, who forced three Louisville shot-clock violations, also held senior guard Isaac McKneeley, the Cardinals' third-leading scorer, to five points on 2-of-10 shooting, with just 1-of-7 figure on 3-point attempts.
Tennessee finished the night 29-of-53 (54.7 percent) from the floor and 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from beyond the arc, with the latter mark featuring a 6-of-10 second-half ledger. At the other end, it held the Cardinals, who scored 80-plus points in nine of their first 10 games this season with 96-plus in six, to a 22-of-58 (37.9 percent) count overall and a 7-of-34 (20.6 percent) mark from deep. Louisville entered the game second nationally, per KenPom, in adjusted offensive efficiency.
In addition, the Volunteers recorded a 21-10 margin in points off turnovers, a commanding 34-3 edge in bench points and a 16-4 cushion in fast-break points.
Tennessee continues its three-game Food City Center homestand Sunday at 3 p.m. when it faces Gardner-Webb, live on SEC Network+.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes now owns 844 victories in his career, remaining tied for first among all active Division I head coaches and in co-ninth place all-time (min. 10 years in Division I).
• A total of 35 NBA scouts from 20 different franchises had credentials for the game, including five general managers.
• After selling out their Oct. 26 preseason exhibition matchup with Duke, the Volunteers notched their first regular season sellout of 2025-26.
• The 21,678 fans in the building Tuesday night marked the third-highest single-game attendance of the season thus far in college basketball.
• Tennessee now has 25 sellouts over the last five seasons—one in 2025-26, eight in 2024-25, eight in 2023-24, five in 2022-23 and three in 2021-22—and sports a 21-4 ledger in those games, including a 16-2 tally since Feb. 15, 2023.
• The Volunteers improved to 39-15 all-time in Food City Center sellouts, including 34-13 since the 2007-08 capacity reduction and 28-7 under Barnes.
• Tennessee is now 97-34 all-time when playing in front of 20,000-plus fans at Food City Center, including 38-10 under Barnes, with 33 of the latter 48 over the past five seasons (2021-26).
• The Volunteers moved to 10-12 in their all-time series with Louisville, including 3-0 in Barnes' tenure as head coach.
• Tennessee's perfect 3-0 record versus Louisville in the Barnes era features wins at three different locations, all by 11-plus points, including the last two by over 20.
• Tuesday marked the second time in 22 series meeting both the Volunteers and the Cardinals were ranked, joining an NCAA Tournament matchup on March 27, 2008, in Charlotte, N.C.
• Tennessee has now been ranked in each of its last four meetings with the Cardinals after playing as an unranked team in the first 18 matchups, eight of which were prior to the invent of the AP Poll.
• The Volunteers have now defeated Louisville in back-to-back seasons after the program played just once in the prior 16 years (2008-24).
• Tennessee improved to 127-102 all-time versus the current ACC membership, including to 16-6 under Barnes, who is 86-78 against such foes in his career.
• The Volunteers moved to 15-3 against ACC schools other than North Carolina in Barnes' 11-year tenure at the helm.
• Tennessee now possesses a 9-2 record against ACC competition across the last five seasons (2021-26), including 6-1 in the last seven such outings.
• The Volunteers have now registered 42 straight non-conference home wins, a streak that spans six seasons, dates to Dec. 8, 2020, and is one shy of the program record.
• Over its 87-week streak in the AP Poll, since the start of the 2021-22 season, Tennessee has now played just 20 games as a lower-ranked team, posting a 12-8 record in those matchups, including a 2-0 ledger in 2025-26.
• Tennessee collected its second win over an AP top-11 foe this season, as it previously defeated No. 3/2 Houston, 76-73, in a Nov. 25 matchup in Las Vegas.
• The Volunteers now own 32 AP top-25 wins over the last five seasons (2021-26), including 28 over AP top-20 foes and 24 versus AP top-15 teams, all of which solely lead Division I in that span.
• In total, the Volunteers now own 46 AP top-25 victories under Barnes, including 40 versus top-20 foes and 31 against top-15 opponents.
• Across its last 36 contests against AP top-15 foes—the span dates to Dec. 22, 2021—Tennessee owns a 24-12 mark, including a 11-7 mark in non-conference play and a 9-6 record versus non-SEC teams.
• In addition, the Volunteers are now 30-17 over their last 47 games versus AP top-25 foes, beginning on Jan. 22, 2022.
• Tennessee improved to 40-29 in AP top-25 matchups in Barnes' tenure, including 32-22 with both teams in the top 20.
• Tuesday's outing marked the sixth straight contest versus a Power Five foe for Tennessee, including the first at Food City Center.
• Tennessee's first eight assists, over the opening 15 minutes of the contest, came from eight different players.
• The Cardinals went 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) on free throws in the opening session, but only 5-of-9 (55.5 percent) on 2-pointers and 4-of-16 (25.0 percent) beyond the arc.
• Meanwhile, the Volunteers shot 14-of-21 (66.7 percent) inside the arc in the first half, but just 1-of-8 (12.5 percent) from long range and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) at the line.
• After starting 3-of-10 from the free throw line, the Volunteers made 15 of their final 18 attempts in the victory.
• Additionally, following its 1-of-8 start from 3-point range, Tennessee shot 6-of-10 the rest of the way.
• The Volunteers have now pulled down double-digit offensive rebounds in each of their first 11 games of 2025-26.
• Louisville's three bench points marked the fewest Tennessee has allowed since March 15, 2025, when it conceded the same total to Auburn in the SEC Tournament semifinals in Nashville, Tenn.
• The last time the Volunteers' bench outscored that of their opponent by 30-plus was on Nov. 6, 2023, with a 36-3 margin versus Tennessee Tech in the 2023-24 season opener.
• Tennessee last shot at least 54.7 percent from the field on Feb. 15, 2025, when it went 29-of-52 (55.8 percent) against Vanderbilt.
• Louisville has shot under 38.0 percent just six times over the last two seasons—that is the tenure of head coach Pat Kelsey—and two are against Tennessee, as it went 16-of-60 on Nov. 9, 2024, for its lowest mark during that span.
• The 20.6 percent 3-point clip by Louisville marked its third-lowest ledger over the last two seasons, while its seven makes from long range tied for the eighth-fewest.
• Conwell became the first Tennessee opponent to attempt 13-plus 3-pointers in a game since March 7, 2020, when Auburn's Samir Doughty went 8-of-13.
• Freshman forward DeWayne Brown II earned the first start of his collegiate career, replacing junior forward Cade Phillips, who is out for the season.
• Carey and Gillespie became the fourth Tennessee duo in the last nine seasons (2017-26) to post 10-plus free-throw attempts in the same contest, joining Dalton Knecht and Zakai Zeigler (Feb. 28, 2024, versus Auburn), Julian Phillips and Zakai Zeigler (Dec. 7, 2022, versus Eastern Kentucky) and Olivier Nkamhoua and Julian Phillips (Nov. 16, 2022, versus FGCU).
• Carey set a career high with his 10 free-throw attempts, eclipsing the nine he attempted twice last season while at Vanderbilt, the first on Nov. 4, 2024, versus Maryland Eastern Shore and the latter on Feb. 15, 2025, at Tennessee.
• In posting his sixth collegiate double-double, Carey grabbed double-digit rebounds for the ninth time, including the third this season.
• Gillespie posted double-figure made free throws without a miss for the second time in his career, as he went 11-of-11 on Feb. 26, 2025, versus Michigan State, while at Maryland.
• The last Tennessee player to make 10 free throws in a game without a miss was Jaden Springer, who did so on Feb. 24, 2021, at Vanderbilt.
• The most recent Volunteer to score 20-plus points in the second half was Chaz Lanier—he also had 20 of his 23—on March 8, 2025, versus South Carolina.
• Gillespie now has 19 outings with 20-plus points in his career, including five in his first 11 appearances as a Volunteer.
• Freshman guard Amari Evans registered the first 3-point make of his young career with 8:45 left, helping Tennessee regain a then-game-best 17-point lead.
• After shooting 1-of-10 from the field in his first eight outings as a collegian, Evans finished 3-of-3 in Tuesday's victory.
• Senior forward Felix Okpara logged a game-high three blocks, marking his 33rd time reaching that figure as a collegian, including the 14th as a Volunteer and fourth in 2025-26.
• Okpara also led all players with three steals, his second time hitting that mark, joining a four-steal showing on Dec. 17, 2022, versus North Carolina in New York during his Ohio State tenure.
• The last Tennessee player with three blocks and three steals in a game was Jonas Aidoo on Nov. 22, 2023, versus Kansas in Honolulu, while the most recent one to achieve the feat at Food City Center was Josiah-Jordan James (five steals, four blocks) on Nov. 9, 2021, against UT Martin in the 2021-22 season opener.
Team Stats
LOU
UT
FG%
.379
.547
3FG%
.206
.389
FT%
.611
.643
RB
30
35
TO
16
11
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
MBB | Louisville HC Pat Kelsey Postgame (12.16.25)
Tuesday, December 16
MBB | Amari Evans & Ja'Kobi Gillespie Postgame vs. Louisville (12.16.25)
Tuesday, December 16
MBB | Rick Barnes Postgame vs. Louisville (12.16.25)
Tuesday, December 16
MBB | Highlights: Tennessee 83, Louisville 62
Tuesday, December 16






















